Axis Products no longer building Airstream axles.

[Axis]

As of 5/19/06, Axis Products will no longer take orders for Airstream axles. Because Airstream axles come in many unusual configurations and require many different custom components, we simply cannot continue providing these specialty axles. We will continue to provide standard leaf-spring and torsion axles. Please feel free to contact our sales staff if you believe the standard axle configurations may work for your application. We at Axis Apologize for any inconvenience and wish you all well.

Sincerely,

Chad Backert
Sales Manager
Axis Products

[axleman]

Chad,

How would you define a standard axle?

Please inform,
Henry

[2airishuman]

hey chad and other axle heads.....

sorry to read this....
so we can still get torsen for an airstream if it is one of the configuration or model that you already produce?

so i'm wondering if trying to 'custom' configure for 40+ years of airstreams and the various models/wts and so on is the issue?

or perhaps customers trying to invent new configurations could be the issue.

i hate to see any air vendor drop out.....

cheers
2air'

[scottanlily]

well ,after all the misc issues many have had like zepplinium ,maybe axis has decided that its too much trouble to mess with . Problems with brackets could also be a contributing factor as people also have had them installed reverse of the way they should be ,along with other issues,but non the less it is a dissappointment for sure for those needing a new axle .

Scott

[Jim & Susan]

One less supplier = less competition. Less competition = higher prices and reduced availability. Bummer. Guess I better get mine now before the price goes thru the roof.....

JIm

[till]

I truly saddens me to see that Axis is no longer making Airstream axles. This news is a giant blow to my project as they were the supplier with the price in my budget. I will have to revise my schedules and budgets to take this into account.

And all I wanted was a copy of what was on my trailer, nothing fancy.

[AYRSTRM2]

Tedd,

I have done some looking and when I found out that Axis was no longer installing axles a few months ago, I called around locally. I found the local Dexter distributor and he got me in touch with a local shop. I called the shop and here's what he told me: If I brought in the old axle he would actually have it sent to the factory for an exact copy. At the time I didn't ask if that meant that the brackets would be put on the right way, but exact seems to say exact. Careful description and final inspection when dealing with the shop would probably ensure that I get what I want. And the price was just about exactly what I had seen forum members stating was the Axis price; I never talked to Axis directly, so you will need to verify for yourself what kind of price comparison there is.

I suggest you call around loacally and find a shop that will do that for you. Since all of Dexter is pretty much located right in the Hoosier state, those of us in adjoining states should be able to get what we need from them!

Originally Posted by till

I truly saddens me to see that Axis is no longer making Airstream axles. This news is a giant blow to my project as they were the supplier with the price in my budget. I will have to revise my schedules and budgets to take this into account.

And all I wanted was a copy of what was on my trailer, nothing fancy.

[AYRSTRM2]

Jim, the big boys of axles, Dexter, won't even notice Axis getting out of the Airstream custom arena. If you shop around for a non-original you'll find the prices won't have changed. I can't tell what will happen with the OEM, that's different. The same folks doing the non-Oem are still out there and still can be used with probably about the same amount of work as an Axis, and I think that most of them didn't even know or care what Axis was doing with Airstreams. That's why Axis got out of it.

Originally Posted by Jim & Susan

One less supplier = less competition. Less competition = higher prices and reduced availability. Bummer. Guess I better get mine now before the price goes thru the roof.....

JIm

[PizzaChop]

Jim,

I've discussed axles with the owner of Superior Trailers of Georgia, a trailer manufacturer just up the road from me here in Danielsville and he didn't seem to think that it would difficult at all to have Dexter axles ordered to fit my AS, provided precise measurements were avail, etc. (He even offered to come out to my house and inspect it.)

So when the time comes, just give me a holler, if you haven't found a more local source. I imagine the axles are probably the same on the Sovereign as they are on the Overlander.

[flyfshr]

Several years ago, I had my axle replaced locally. The shop doing the repair took the old one off and created a new one to the exact dimensions of the original and increased its capacity by 1000 lbs. Just had the bearings done and all looks brand new. I've been very pleased.

Brad
FF

[scottanlily]

I think you guy's who need an axle go with dexter ,been around a long time.I thought i read that they had prices close to the axis axle.anyway,axis can make plenty of coin doing other standard axles on other brands of trailers and not just travel trailers either. I am in the vehical restoration business and I have found that a manafacturer does not always want to build a needed item ,such as I found out with a convertable soft top for an IH Scout.The orders were there,but the company made more bucks doing jeeps and they weren't concerned how bad we needed those tops made.They used to manafacture them ,didn't matter.Another name brand company stepped up and we had them made .Axis does not want the problems that go with special making these axles and thats it .Henschen axles are more but after hearing zeppliniums troubles Id go for the oem.You know we usually will pay too much for somthing we really want even if it's too high in price for our budget .

Scott

[Jim & Susan]

Y'all are probably right, it won't make that much of a $$ difference in the long run. I was leaning towards Dexter anyway. And they have a local dealer near me, supposedly. I haven't had time (or money) to track them down yet.

Jim